CMSC 811: Topics in Computer Architecture

Storage for Large-Scale Computing

The reading list is available online; it
includes a schedule for the class. Please check it regularly to keep up
with changes in paper assignments and checkpoints for your projects.

Computers have made great strides in processing power over the last
decade. High-speed uniprocessors, and now parallel processors, allow
users to consume and generate ever-greater quantities of
data. However, sheer number crunching ability is only part of the
picture; where does all of this data come from, and where does it go?

This seminar will address these questions by examining file systems
and storage mechanisms used to manage the terabytes of data stored at
scientific computing centers. We will read 1 - 2 papers per class on
topics including disk arrays, parallel and high-performance file
systems, tertiary storage devices, and archival file systems. We will
also cover some scientific applications and discuss the demands they
place on the storage system.

We will read between two and four papers each week; the
reading list is available online. Each
paper will be assigned to a student in the class, who will be
responsible for leading the class discussion on it. In addition, all
students will be expected to summarize (in one or two pages) the
material covered each week. There will be a term project, which can
be anything from a more extensive literature survey to (preferably) a
research project exploring topics discussed in class.

Students taking this class should be somewhat familiar with both
operating systems and computer architecture. Familiarity with some
domain of scientific computing would also be helpful, though it isn't
required.